1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to dispensing apparatus, and more particularly to mounted buckets useful for dispensing thick, flowable materials, such as fertilizer, landscaping material, and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Moving massive materials, such as fertilizer, dirt, and construction and landscaping materials, can consume enormous volumes of labor and time, unless specialized tools are used. Because both labor and time are limited resources, numerous attempts have been made to reduce the amount of time and labor necessary to move massive materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,913, issued to Gifford W. Gabriel, Jr., on Jul. 6, 1976, shows an asphalt roadway patching apparatus including a lowering supply hopper. There is no side hole that receives material from a rotating auger; instead, a central outlet dispenses material in such a way that a user's view of dispensed material is undesirably obstructed. Neither is there mounting means for a loader.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,949, issued to Gifford W. Gabriel, Jr., on Aug. 5, 1980, shows a self-contained asphalt patching apparatus with an auger that dispenses asphalt and is powered by a hydraulic motor. There is no mounting means for a loader.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,046, issued to Robert M. Yant, on Nov. 3, 1987, shows a pavement patching vehicle including a supply hopper with a rear opening for discharging asphalt supplied by an auger. There is no mounting means for a loader.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,394, issued to Pat Bresnahan, on Oct. 27, 1992, shows a spreader device intended to be attached to a dispensing truck. The dispensing truck dispenses particulate material into a top opening of the device and, simultaneously, the device dispenses received particulate matter through a lower opening. There is no auger for moving materials, and no mounting means for a loader.
Japanese Patent Document No. 4-47008, issued on Jun. 14, 1990, shows a complicated tractor mounted device having a receptacle and an internal auger. Materials are dispensed through a side of the device. Projections on both front and rear sides of this device mean that filling this device with materials to be dispensed can practically be accomplished only by inserting the materials through a top opening of the device, rather than by using the device to scoop up materials.
Soviet Patent Document No. 487197, issued on Jan. 14, 1976, shows an auger-assisted materials dispenser. There is no mounting means for a loader.
French Patent Document No. 91 04992, issued on Oct. 25, 1991, shows an auger-assisted materials dispenser. There is no mounting means for a loader.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.